Director Vehicle Program Leader - Emerging Markets

About ALSO.

We’re ALSO, an electric mobility company originally conceived as a part of Rivian. We’re a passionate team of builders, dreamers, doers and innovators, focused on creating entirely new (not to mention, innovative and delightful) vertically integrated, small EVs designed to meet the global mobility challenges of today and tomorrow. Our mission is to inspire everyone to ride ALSO—replacing many local car, truck and SUV miles with ones on vehicles that are more affordable, more enjoyable and 10-50x more efficient.

ALSO is looking for an Senior Staff/Director Vehicle Program Leader, Emerging Markets to own
and lead the definition and execution of detailed, day-to-day, end-to-end, full project lifecycle
program activities of new vehicle programs for electric 2 wheel vehicles. The role includes
integrating Global activities within Product Development, Supply Chain, Operations and
Go-To-Market (GTM) functions.

What You Will Do
● Own the Product architecture definition from Vehicle to major System level ensuring
requirements, new technology, hardware & software development and system integration
deliver the best product-market fit.
● Own the master plan: create, baseline, and continuously maintain the High-Level Plan (HLP)
and the Detailed Execution Plan across concept → design → all development phases → SOP
and GTM covering technical, cost, and timing.
● Run the program rhythm: lead weekly design/technical/cost/timing reviews; publish actions,
owners, due dates; manage risks; drive issue closure with evidence.
● Statement Of Requirements/Work (SOR/W): coordinate creation/updates of SOR/SOW,
DVP&R, and acceptance criteria with Global Product, Systems/Tech teams, suppliers and
local engineering.
● Supplier & component ownership: own component-level BoM (targets vs. actuals), change
control, PPAP/APQP gates, and supplier readiness (capacity, quality, logistics).
● Concept Development partner interface: orchestrate deliverables, design releases, reviews,
and decision logs; ensure design intent matches Product-Market fit requirements.
● Release schedule & configuration: define and manage software/firmware/hardware release
trains; maintain configuration matrix and homologation status.

Localization & industrialization: plan SKD/CKD/FBU pathways; align facility layout, tooling,
test benches, and staffing; ensure line readiness for each ramp stage.
● Charging & energy integration: sequence swap-station and plug-in deployments with vehicle
releases; ensure compatibility and uptime SLAs.
● Pilot to production: plan prototype & pilot entry/exit criteria, fleet size, telemetry KPIs, fix
funnels, and cut-in strategy for design changes; own the go/no-go gates.
● Cost & margin control: track should-cost vs. actual, VA/VE opportunities, localization
savings, logistics duties/VAT; coordinate with finance on unit economics.
● Data-driven decisions: stand up dashboards for project metrics and milestones including
schedule health, BoM cost, defect burn-down, supplier readiness.
● Cross-functional glue: align Global Product, Supply Chain, Quality, Operations, Field Service,
and GTM; surface blockers early and land executive decisions fast.
● Compliance & homologation: run country-by-country certification timelines; ensure
documentation, test evidence, and labeling are release-ready.
● Communications: keep crisp stakeholder updates with clear narrative: status, risks,
mitigations, and next decisions.
What experience & qualifications you need to bring
● 8+ years leading complex hardware programs (EVs, two-wheelers, automotive, or rugged
connected devices) from concept to SOP; 3+ years in Emerging Markets or similar operating
environments an advantage
● Proven ownership of program plans & deliverables: HLPs, detailed Gantt/roadmaps,
SOR/SOW, DVP&R, and gate reviews.
● BoM & cost control: hands-on with should-costing, VA/VE, Engineering Change, configuration
management, and supplier negotiation to land target COGS and margins.
● Supplier/industrialization chops: APQP/PPAP, line bring-up, process capability (CP/CPK),
first-article inspection, and ramp readiness; comfort with SKD/CKD flows and customs.
● Systems mindset: can integrate battery/BMS, motor/inverter, VCU/ECU, charger/swap,
telematics, and rider HMI—enough technical depth to arbitrate trade-offs.
● Release management: experience coordinating HW/SW/FW releases, OTA readiness, and
traceability from requirement → test → field evidence.
● Field & pilot experience: ran pilots/fleets with telemetry, defect triage, root cause,
countermeasures, and controlled cut-ins.
● Tools & methods: expert with program tools (MS Project/Smartsheet/Jira/Confluence),
change control, FMEA, 8D, and KPI dashboards (Sheets/Excel/BI).
● Commercial acumen: understands unit economics, energy/charging costs, and
pricing/financing constraints that shape product and rollout decisions.
● Stakeholder leadership: clear communicator, builds shared context across execs, engineers,
suppliers, and city partners; escalates early, decides with data.
● Education: Bachelor’s in Engineering (Mechanical/Electrical/Mechatronics/Industrial) or
equivalent; PMP/Prince2 or Lean/Six Sigma is a plus.
● Working environment: comfortable with early/late calls to sync with HQ and plants.

Why ALSO.

• We’re passionate about helping the world find a better way to get there—wherever it is you’re headed.

• Together we’re working hands-on to imagine, design and build an entirely new solution to a global set of transportation challenges.

• Competitive perks and benefits for every global role

Why ALSO.

We’re passionate about helping the world find a better way to get there—wherever it is you’re headed.

We’re located in the heart of Silicon Valley and have brought together a world-class team from some of the biggest brands in the technology, automotive, cycling, outdoor recreation and retail spaces. 

Together we’re working hands-on to imagine, design and build an entirely new solution to a global set of transportation challenges. 

Perks and Benefits

• Robust health coverage. Excellent health, dental and vision insurance covered up to 100% by ALSO with FSA & HSA options.

• One Medical membership and dedicated insurance advocates.

• Rich fertility and family building benefits with Progyny.

• Flexible time off. 

• 401(k) match.